ANTIGUA CASA DE GUARDIA After a visit to the Mercado Central de Atarazanas (Málaga’s local food market, which also has excellent tapas bars), a short walk will take you to the oldest bar in Málaga, founded in 1840. Here, they mainly sell Málaga sweet wine directly from the barrel. It is a typical spit-and-sawdust, old-fashioned drinking bar, and it is great fun. It’s like stepping back in time to one of the few places in Málaga that still maintains its atmosphere. Try the p

I RESTAURANTE KAIA-KAIPE Michelin Plate IIO We returned to the fishing port of Getaria on the Basque Coast and revisited an old favourite, the excellent Restaurante Kaia-Kaipe. Getaria is the picture-postcard image of a Basque Country fishing village. Walking up from the car park, we approached the village. When you reach the restaurant, you can see the famous outdoor grill, where the fish is cooked over hot coals on open wire-mesh grills. The restaurant is divided into

KIOSKU CALA MASTELLA This beach bar on the island’s northeast is a local insider tip among Ibiza’s chiringuito lovers. It is sometimes unfavourably compared to the legendary fish restaurant El Bigotes, which sits to the left in the same bay. This is entirely unjustified, although it works on a different concept. Pepe Bonet and Angel Pins have created a true oasis of calm here and created honest, perfectly prepared food. They have six dishes (fresh fish, of course, hamburgers,

Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital of the Basque Autonomous Community in northern Spain. The Gothic-style Santa María Inmaculada Cathedral features a sculpted facade and towering columns in the medieval quarter. The 17th-century Plaza de la Virgen Blanca features a monument to the 1813 Battle of Vitoria. The Church of San Miguel has a sizeable baroque altarpiece and a statue of the White Virgin, the city's patron saint. Beethoven dedicated his Opus 91, often called the " Battle

BAR CAN COSTA For the cheaper pocket, head to Bar Costa in Santa Gertrudis de Fruitera, a pretty and well-loved little village in the centre of the island. There are many restaurants set around the village church in this lovely spot with a vibrant hippy feel. It’s a great place to live, a few hours away from the interesting little shops, nooks, and crannies. Most Sundays, there is a church procession, with locals and tourists attending the Sunday service. There are many inter

ASADOR BEDUA On the banks of the Urola River, just outside the village of Zumaia, you will find Asador Bedua, a restaurant with generations of family history, based on fresh produce from its own garden. It all started four generations ago, when their ancestors offered potato omelettes with green peppers to the residents of Zumaia who came to the grill by rowing upriver in their boats. The Bedua grill is a benchmark of Basque gastronomy. Over its embers, you will see roast be

HOSTAL MARINO & M HOTEL We returned to Hostal Marino in September 2025, when it was finally joined by its new sister hotel, M Hotel . You can now check in at the new hotel by walking through the bar area of Hostal Marino and the new garden area to the M Hotel check-in desk. The new hotel has a restaurant, fitness centre, bar, and garden area, with access to the bar and restaurant areas at Hostal Marino. It is a place to relax after a long night/day! There is a new swimming p

TABERNA ABASTOS 2.0 Michelin Bib Gourmand We have been to this excellent restaurant a few times before. It is located in the town’s farmers’ market, giving it access to fresh ingredients daily. They announce proudly that they do not have a fridge in the restaurant. This unique restaurant is a surprise. It occupies six small market stalls, which have been given a bright, modern facelift. To enjoy the personalised menus here, you must book the only table in advance. We ha

ASADOR ETXEBARRI One Michelin Star Although not the easiest place to find, this beautiful, rustic, restored stone house is a couple of kilometres out of town. It has a bar at the ground-floor entrance and a couple of stunning dining rooms on the first floor. The renowned chef Victor Arguinzoniz, who deserves his one Michelin star, cooks all the high-quality produce on various charcoal grills. There is no molecular stuff here; it is just fresh, quality food with unique fla

Almería was named Capital Española de la Gastronomía 2019 (Twitter @Almería2019 ), and various gastronomic events will take place in the province of Almería throughout the year. We had the pleasure of being invited to these events by Fernando Huidobro www.fernandohuidobro.com , Twitter @FHuidobroRein , Presidente de Academia Andaluza de Gastronomía y Turismo (Twitter @andgastrotur ) We flew to Alicante after our short three-day trip to Ibiza, then drove down to Garrucha t